Bridges on Proverbs 11:24-25
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 11:24-25
 
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24. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.†  25. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. {liberal...: Heb. soul of blessing}
 
God has put a mark of distinguishing favor upon the exercises of that mercy, which is his own attribute. He scatters his blessings richly around (Psalm 33:5; 36:5-7); and those that partake of his spirit do the same. Men may scatter in improvidence and sin, and it tendeth to poverty. (Chapter 21:17.) But there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth. The husbandman, scattering his seed “plentifully” over his field, expects a proportionate increase. And shall not the man of God, “dispersing abroad” the seed of godliness (Psalm 112:9); consecrating his substance and influence to the Lord; “as he has opportunity, doing good unto all men” (Galatians 6:10) — shall not he receive a plentiful increase? (2 Corinthians 9:6, 11.) The men of the world hazard all in uncertain, and often, ruinous, speculations. But in this scattering there is no uncertainty, no speculation. Bounty is the way to plenty. Have faith in God; and laying out for him will be laying up for ourselves. (Chapter 3:9, 10; 19:17.) This will be abundantly manifest, either in a visible enlargement of earthly blessings,† or in a satisfying enjoyment of a more limited portion. (Deuteronomy 15:10.) The reward of grace will be given in the gracious acceptance of our God (Hebrews 13:16), and in a blissful reception into “everlasting habitations.” (Luke 16:9. 1 Timothy 6:18, 19.)
But is the covetous worldling happier — nay — is he richer — in withholding more than is meet? (Haggai 1:4-10.) ‘Seldom does he prosper much even in the world. For God metes to men in their own measure; and bad crops, bad debts, expensive sickness, and a variety of similar deductions, soon amount to far more than liberal alms would have done.’†
Still more clearly does the Lord mark his blessing and his blast in the spiritual dispensation. The liberal soul is made fat in the healthful vigour of practical godliness (Verse 17. Isaiah 32:8. M.R.); and while he is the soul of blessing to others, he is watered himself with the descending showers.† The Minister is refreshed by his own message of salvation to his people. The Sunday School Teacher learns many valuable lessons in the work of instruction. The soul of the District Visitor or the Christian friend glows in carrying the precious name of Jesus to a fellow-sinner. Every holy temper, every spiritual gift, every active grace is increased by exercise; while its efficiency withers by neglect. (Matthew 25:29.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
‘There are those, who, sowing their own, make it more: and those who gather, and are impoverished’ — LXX.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 33:5
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. {goodness: or, mercy}
 
Psalm 36:5-7
5 ¶ Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. {the...: Heb. the mountains of God} 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. {excellent: Heb. precious}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 21:17
17 ¶ He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. {pleasure: or, sport}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 112:9
9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Galatians 6:10
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2 Corinthians 9:6, 11
6 ¶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. {bountifulness: or, liberality: Gr. simplicity}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 3:9, 10
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
 
Proverbs 19:17
17 ¶ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. {that which...: or, his deed}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Luke 6:38, into thy bosom — the sensible experience of the blessing.
 
 
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deuteronomy 15:10
10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hebrews 13:16
16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Luke 16:9
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. {mammon: or, riches}
 
1 Timothy 6:18, 19
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; {willing...: or, sociable} 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Haggai 1:4-10
4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. {Consider...: Heb. Set your heart on your ways} 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. {with holes: Heb. pierced through} 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. {Consider...: Heb. Set your heart on your ways} 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. {blow...: or, blow it away} 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Scott in loco.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 11:17
17 ¶ The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
 
Isaiah 32:8. M.R.
8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. {stand: or, be established}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 58:10, 11. ‘How often, when my heart has been cold and dead, have I been quickened by the loving-kindness of the Lord, upon doing something kind and loving for a fellow-creature, and more especially for a fellow-Christian!’ — Venn's Life, pp. 501, 502.
 
 
Isaiah 58:10, 11
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. {drought: Heb. droughts} {fail: Heb. lie, or, deceive}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Matthew 25:29
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.